By Only Players Staff
Updated 12/5/24 2:58am ET
Following a dramatic win over the Golden State Warriors and prior to facing the team with the league’s best record on national television, Nikola Jokic became a bigger NBA MVP favorite with +160 odds at DraftKings.
The three-time MVP and Denver Nuggets face the 19-3 Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday at 3.5-point road underdogs.
Jokic entered the season among the top five favorites, while being widely considered the world’s best player. However, this season he has dominated games and mostly carried the Nuggets, becoming the MVP betting favorite around Nov. 21.
The big man is averaging a triple-double with 30.1 points, 13.0 rebounds and 10.4 assists. Additionally, he’s posting career-highs in points, assists, minutes, blocks, steals, three-pointers made and three-point percentage.
Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6), Bill Russell (5), Michael Jordan (5), Wilt Chamberlain (4) and LeBron James (4) have more MVP awards.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder is the second favorite with +340 odds at DraftKings after he had previously taken over the favorite status from Luka Doncic.
Jayson Tatum is next with +500 odds.
